My Mark
by Sammery
Summary: REVISED. It was just a harmless game of truth or dare…sure, harmless. Now Kagome is left with a permanent mark of this “harmless” game and a temperamental hanyou with questions…and maybe more.


Disclaimer: The only thing I own involving Inuyasha is a couple of magnas, a few DVDs, and a soundtrack. I clearly don't own the series. As you will soon become aware of, my writing is nothing compared to that of Ms. Rumiko Takahashi, and for that I offer my most humble of apologies.

This is my first Inuyasha story, but I've been a fan of the series for years.

My other story Mixing Wizardry is currently on hold for the moment for reasons that are explained in my bio.

I'm only planning for this to be a **one-shot**, depends where I am when I finish this and the response that I get from you guys.

Summery: It was just a harmless game of truth or dare…sure, harmless. Now Kagome is left with a permanent mark of this "harmless" game and a temperamental hanyou with questions…and maybe more.

**My Mark (revised)**

Sammery

She didn't know hoe she was going to explain this one. She needed to come home for a series of tests in school and after a barrage of begging (and a fair amount of 'SITS'); Inuyasha had finally agreed to let her go. Not that he had much choice really given his current position of about ten feet below ground level.

_For once I should have just listened to Inuyasha and stayed put,_ Kagome thought. She couldn't believe that this had happened.

In order to catch up in some of the classes, Kagome and her friends had had her over for the night for a cram session every night for the past three. It was the last night of cramming when things got out of control.

The next was on history and they were currently studying the feudal era, but Kagome probably knows this subject better than the teacher did so she wasn't too worried about it. Her friends and her got to gossiping and eventually it evolved into a game of truth or dare.

Now, generally this game was relatively innocent, consisting of a few rounds of them all saying truth with questions like 'Do you like so-and-so?' Kagome however, coasting on her wave of happiness at being allowed to be a normal girl for once decided she was going to take a chance. After all, what could they throw at her that could possibly be worse than anything that she went through day after day in the feudal era? So when Eri turned to her and asked the fateful question, "Truth or dare," Kagome couldn't help but smirk.

Flashing her wicked grin she stared Eri down with a challenge flickering in her eyes, "Dare."

Ayumi and Yuki gasped and shock filled their eyes while Eri just appeared contemplative. Suddenly her face lit up and her eyes sparkled with mischief. "I dare you to tattoo 'Inuyasha' on yourself," she finished with a satisfied smile.

Kagome blanched. She could literally feel the color draining from her face. She wasn't scared of any pain that might be involved, hell she wasn't really even bothered by having Inuyasha's name imprinted on her flesh, she was just worried about how exactly she would explain it, to her family, her friends, and most of all…Inuyasha.

Her friends studied her expectantly, waiting for her to say no and get some other form of retaliation.

"Um…Eri, why does it have to be 'Inuyasha?'" Kagome asked.

Eri looked struck. "I…well…I don't know, it was just the first thing to pop into my head I guess." Suddenly her face lit up, "Why? Don't think you can do it? It the great Kagome finally going to falter in her completion of a dare?"

Kagome had never failed to complete a dare…EVER. Kagome didn't know how she was going to explain this, but it was her reputation on the line, there was no way she was going to lose face over a tattoo. She squared her shoulders and faced Eri, her stubborn gaze tearing into Eri, "When?"

Eri smirked, "Now," and grabbing Kagome's hand and began dragging her out of the house, barely giving her time to grab her shoes.

As they walked down the dark streets of Tokyo, Kagome contemplated what she was about to do. _My mother is going to kill me if she ever finds out I did this. And Sango, it's not as though I can exactly hide it from her, not when we bathe. And Inuyasha, oh Gods Inuyasha. He ever finds out that I did this he's never going to let me come back every again. _She winced at the idea. So wrapped up she was in her thoughts that she failed to realize that her friends had stopped her.

The stood before a semi-run down little building whose bricks had once gleamed bright red but were now almost black with the accumulation of exhaust and grime of a city. Bright green neon letters proclaimed it to be Enishi's Tattoo Parlor. It did not look like the most savory of places. Kagome gulped.

"Were doing this here?" She questioned, a slight waver to her voice.

"No, _you're_ doing this here," Eri replied, "and it's fine, my cousin works here, he'll do a good job for you Kag." She smiled and opened the door, ushering them inside the dark threshold and a felling of dread began to wash over Kagome. _Why did I say 'dare'? _

Eri's cousin was a rather good looking man in his mid-20s by the name of Takumi. For a guy who worked in a tattoo parlor he looked rather normal to Kagome. He had a few scattered ones on his upper arms but those were all she could see. She had been expecting some man with tattoos covering every visible piece of flesh, and probably most of what wasn't visible. Kagome felt a tad bit calmer about the whole thing.

"Okay Kagome," he said once he had her sitting in one of the chairs in separate room. He had a kind voice that seemed to be constantly filled with mirth. "My cousin says that I'm to tattoo 'Inuyasha' on you." He smiled up kindly at her, "Let me guess, you lost a bet?"

Kagome let out semi-strained laugh. "Um...no, we were playing truth or dare and um…well…" She trailed off.

He nodded understandingly. "I learned long ago to never play that game with her." He pointed to his left eyebrow which sported a bar. "She dared me to pierce my eyebrow, however, I happen to like it. My mom didn't though, wouldn't talk to me for three months," He shrugged, "but that was a few years ago."

"So where do you want this thing to go, and what color would you like?" He questioned her, finally getting on to the job at hand.

"Um…I really don't have a clue." Kagome admitted, "Do you have any suggestions?"

"Well this guy, Inuyasha, do you associate any particular color with him?"

Without even needing to think Kagome said, "Red. He always wears red."

He smiled, "Okay, so the main color can be red, now is there any other color you think of with him that we can use for a background?"

The image of Inuyasha flashed through her mind as she had first seen him. This beautiful, peaceful looking boy pinned up against the tree. Her eyes had been drawn to the color of his hair and the ears atop his head. His ears…Kagome smiled. That had to be one of her favorite attributes. She knew he hated them, they were everyday proof of his hanyou nature, but she loved them. His silver ears. "Silver."

He smiled at her again, "Alright we've got color, now for location. Someplace that wouldn't be easily spotted because I'm sure your mother would not be pleased." He glanced down at her legs, "How about on an ankle, with the way you wear your socks it'll be covered up most of the time and when its not and you want it hidden you could always cover it with make-up. That sound okay?"

Kagome nodded her head, "That sounds good to me." She leaned down to her feet and removed her right shoe and sock. "Alright, let's get this done."

He nodded and his face become serious and he went about his work. After the first initial sting of the needle the whole thing was relatively painless. Long before she was expecting it she heard Takumi straighten up.

"All done. Welcome to the ranks of the tattooed." His smile came back onto his face as he pronounced her tattoo complete.

Kagome glanced down at her ankle. Gleaming brightly on her ankle was Inuyasha's name in graceful lettering. She gasped. _I can't believe I really did it! _She smiled. It seemed to her like it was a perfect fit. It stood out calmly against her pale skin. It didn't glare out at you like Kagome often felt tattoos did, but it just seemed to a part of her, as natural as any birthmark.

She slipped her things back on and headed out front were Takumi had disappeared to. She was immediately whisked out the door by her friends before she could even say thank you let alone pay for his work.

"Wait! I didn't pay him. STOP!" She tore her arms loose from her friends grasps.

"I already paid him Kag, but it's getting late and if we don't get back soon Ayumi's mother is going to kill us." Eri explained quickly while grabbing Kagome's arm again and dragging her along.

When they finally got back Ayumi's mom chewed them out for staying out so late, by the time the got back it was almost midnight. They girls went back to Ayumi's room and after Kagome's friends had all had a good long look at the tattoo on her ankle. After that Kagome collapsed into her pillow and allowed sleep to claim her weary body.

**

* * *

(The next day after school)**

The test was a piece of cake. Kagome was positive that she would have aced it if she hadn't even bothered opening her book, which she only did briefly anyway.

Humming to herself, she made her way back to the shrine to finish packing her bag for the feudal era. She had promised Inuyasha that she would come back tonight. As she shuffled about her bedroom she pictured him brooding in the tree, as Sango told her he did when she went away, and giggled.

"What's so funny wench?" A voice came from behind her.

Startled, Kagome whipped around to find Inuyasha leaning against the doorframe awaiting an answer.

"Gods Inuyasha, you scared me half to death. Don't sneak up on me like that...and don't call me wench."

Inuyasha grinned and Kagome's heart melted. She loved that smile. He didn't use it often, only when they were alone, but it let her know that he meant no hurt, he was just joking around with her. "You're too sensitive Kagome." He said as he walked into the room, "Are you almost ready?"

Kagome glanced around the room, "Yeah, I think that I have everything…well everything except the ramen, but that's downstairs." She giggled again at the way his ears perked up at the mere mention of ramen. Wait…ears…silver…tattoo. She had actually forgotten all about it at school, but it came rushing back to the forefront of her mind. She flushed crimson all the way up to the roots of her hair. She turned quickly to hide it and was grateful to Inuyasha's obsession with ramen; it had distracted him from noticing her flush.

Once she was sure her flush was back under control she picked up her bag and led Inuyasha out of the room, unaware of his searching gaze boring into her and missing the low growl that Inuyasha emitted.

**

* * *

INUYASHA'S POV**

From the moment he had jumped out of the well he could tell Kagome was home, but that no one else was. He made his way up the stairs and over to the open doorway leading to her bedroom. He leaned against the doorframe and just watched her as she went about putting different things into her bag, not really paying any attention to her belongings, just her. Her graceful movements overrode any other conscious thought.

The sound of her giggle reached his ears. They perked up and he smiled, he loved that sound, it was like the sound of bells. He finally understood the term 'music to my ears.' Nothing compared to the sound of Kagome's voice.

"What's so funny wench?" He questioned.

She whipped around so fast Inuyasha thought she'd fall right over. Clutching her chest she exclaimed, "Gods Inuyasha, you scared me half to death. Don't sneak up on me like that...and don't call me wench."

He grinned, he couldn't help it. The way that she flushed was just so cute he couldn't help but smile. "You're too sensitive Kagome." He told her. _Ha. Too sensitive. You're the one who stays up nights just because you two had another fight. You're the one who can never reign in your emotions when it comes to her and _she's_ too sensitive. She doesn't even like you like that anyway. Stop thinking about it!_ He ordered himself.

Walking into the room he asked, "Are you almost ready?"

She looked around biting her lip in a rather adorable manner. "Yeah, I think that I have everything…well everything except the ramen, but that's downstairs."

At the mention of ramen he perked up rather against his will. He fought down a blush as he noticed Kagome flushing fully and whipping around to try and hide it. _Why is she blushing? What reason does she have to blush about?_ He wondered. Suddenly he became aware of a new scent. It smelled strongly of ink, but it was still odd to him. The scent floated around Kagome.

She picked up her bag and left the room and Inuyasha studied her back and growled. _What is that scent?_

**

* * *

BACK TO KAG'S VIEW**

After they gathered the ramen they headed out to the well, but Inuyasha was unusually quiet. He had lost his entire joking manner and just seemed to be lost in thought.

_I wonder what's gotten into him._ Kagome wondered. She jumped into the well with Inuyasha and allowed him to hold her while he jumped out of the well back in the feudal era.

For a minute neither of them moved. Then Inuyasha grunted and grabbed Kagome's pack, which admittedly had begun to get heavy, and motioned for her to go ahead of him. She glanced at him questioningly but then went on ahead and headed for Kaede's hut. The walked in an uncomfortable silence the entire way and Kagome was aware of Inuyasha's watchful eyes, which seemed to be studying her.

When they reached the hut, Kagome was grateful for the presence of other people, and a break from the thunderous silence that had filled the space between her and Inuyasha. Upon entering the hut Shippo had launched himself on Kagome and screamed, "You're back!" She was greeted more quietly but no less enthusiastically by the rest of her friends.

Inuyasha placed her bag in the corner while all of this happened and sat down next to it on the floor and watched the scene play out, still watching Kagome intensely, and she felt it the whole time.

That night it stormed and Kagome could not sleep, the unease from earlier still at the front of her mind. She could not understand what had caused his drastic switch. Normally she would have walked outside around the village to quiet her nerves and help her sleep, but due to the storm she could not. She sat up and sighed heavily.

"Can't sleep?" Inuyasha's voice came from the corner that he had not left since they arrived.

She jumped at the sound, but answered quickly and steadily, "Nah, you neither huh?"

He snorted, "Obviously."

Kagome felt anger surge through her. Why was he angry at her, what could she possibly have done to tick him off so bad. Against any sense of judgment Kagome stood up from her position on the floor and with a huff, raced out of the hut and into the pouring rain.

She was so angry she didn't even seem to notice the rain and just ran without any clue as to where she was going. She just needed to get away from him for one moment; she just needed to get away.

She ran, ran as hard as her body would allow: as fast as her leg could carry her and her lungs would tolerate. She didn't notice the branch lying in her path until her foot had made contact. She went tumbling end over end down of the side of the road and landed in a heap in a bunch of bushes. She lay there still as stone for a moment, but then rather than getting up she just stayed their and cried. She cried for the pain that now filed her body, she cried for her anger that even she did not fully understand, she cried for Inuyasha even though she did not know why. She just cried.

**

* * *

Inuyasha**

She had raced out of that hut faster than he had ever seen her run, with enough speed to rival Koga at his peak. By the time he had reached the door she was out of sight. Due to the rain her scent was hard to track but her feet had churned up the mud as she ran. He followed her trail as fast as he could.

He was a good distance from the village when he finally found her, lying in mud and bush and crying. His heart leaped into his throat at the sight of her looking so broken and lost. He leapt down off the road to her side. "Kagome?" He asked softly as he reached out and lightly touched her shoulder.

He cringed as she stiffened at his touch. "Kagome…damn fool girl," he said gently with emotion choking his words. "You've gone and got yourself in a whole lot of trouble." He whispered as he pulled her still tearful form towards him.

She remained silent but she looked him with such pain in her eyes, none of which, he knew, was from the fall.

He picked her up cradled her to him in his lap and began rocking her back and forth as she continued to cry now into his shoulder. He whispered nonsense words in her ear in a soothing voice, being grateful to the rain for beginning to let up.

Eventually Kagome's tears stopped and he pulled her away from him to look her in the eyes. "Kagome, why did you run?"

Suddenly her eyes filled with anger again and she began to struggle out of his arms but Inuyasha held her fast. "You're not going anywhere until you tell me why you ran off." He said in a slightly sterner voice.

What she did next shocked him so much that he let go of her and allowed her to scramble out of his arms.

She slapped him.

Inuyasha sat in shock. _She slapped me? She slapped me! What the hell! What did I do?_ He was expecting anger to rise in him but it never came, instead he just stared at Kagome in confusion.

He watched as she began to rise off the ground but heard her hiss in pain and collapse again to the ground clutching at her right ankle. He shook himself out of his reverie and was at her side in seconds.

"You hurt your ankle didn't you?" Trying to remove her hand from her ankle, but just as he was about to move them fully, he hands clenched around her ankle and the scent of her fear reached his nose.

_Fear? She's afraid of me?_ He wondered looking up at her in shock. "You…you…you're scared of…of me?" He stuttered out and whipped his hands away as though burned.

She looked pained. "It's…it's not that…really it's not. I'm not afraid of you," she smiled, "I've never been afraid of you."

He felt somewhat calmed, but still. "I smell the fear on you, and what was with that other smell?"

She looked confused, "What other smell?"

He set his jaw and began to sniff it out, there...that was the scent and it was coming from…her ankle! The one she was covering as though her life depended on it. He smirked, "The smell of whatever it is that you are hiding on that ankle." He said, pointing to accentuate his point.

Kagome gapped up at him. He took advantage of her shock and tore her hands away from her ankle and yanking the sock down….and he was stunned.

There, emblazoned on her ankle in bright red backed by silver was his name. He just sat there unsure of what to say. _She is marked with my name. Marked…my name…my mark._

He looked up at Kagome and found her watching him uncertainly. "My name…" he said none too intelligently, pointing. "Why is my name on your ankle?"

"It's a…a tattoo. My friends and I were playing this game called 'truth or dare' and I picked dare and she said I had to get 'Inuyasha" tattooed on myself," She finally said in a rush.

_She _had_ to, not _wanted_ to, she did it because she _had_ to._ He should have known better than to fool himself to think she really wanted his name on her. Why would someone like Kagome want to be linked to a filthy hanyou like him by choice.

"Oh…" he said sourly. He began to tend to the ankle, while Kagome watched with curiosity.

**

* * *

Kagome**

_Oh…that's it! Just oh…I thought I'd get a better reaction than 'Oh'! And he sounded so dejected when he said it too…_

Kagome had been worried sick about what he would think and he turned out not to care? No, no, no, she was getting to the bottom of this.

Reaching out her hand she grabbed his and stopped it from his work on her ankle. He looked up. There was a storm of emotion in his eyes. She needed to understand, but she didn't know what questions she needed to ask. Finally she settled on, "What was that reaction?"

He look at her questioningly and she tried to clarify. "To the tattoo, I don't understand your reaction."

He face lost its calm demeanor and became taught as her bowstring. He yanked his hand out of her grasp and went back to work on her ankle. "You have my name marring you skin. What reaction were you expecting?"

"Marring? Why would your name _mar _my skin?"

He finished his work on her ankle and heaved a heavy, angry sigh and locked eyes with Kagome. "I'm a filthy hanyou and now you've been forced to have my name emblazoned on your skin forever. You'll be linked to me for the rest of your life."

An anger she didn't understand raged through her, "Who are you to decide who I want linked to me? It's my life and my body. Don't you think I _want_ your name there. If I didn't I wouldn't have gotten the tattoo in the first place." She gulped hard, while it was true, she hadn't planned on admitting it. She knew where Inuyasha's heart lied…with Kikyo. She turned her head away and tears fell anew but for a different reason.

Neither of them said anything for a long while. Finally Inuyasha broke the silence, "You…._wanted_ my name there?" He paused, "But you said that you _had_ to put it there."

She looked back at him, to find something pleading in his eyes…some hope. She smiled, filled that smile with every emotion she was feeling right now. "You don't _have_ to do a dare Inuyasha. If you fail to complete a dare other tasks are assigned to you to do in the place of that original dare." She leaned forward and placed her hands on the sides of his head and placed her forehead against his. "If I didn't want your name on my ankle, it would not be there."

**

* * *

Inuyasha**

_She wants it there! She's not ashamed of me!_ Not a thing on this planet could have made him happier than he was at that moment. He felt he could fly to the moon.

Overrun by his happiness he let his emotions take over and did something he would not have usually done.

He kissed her.

He closed the minimal gap between their forms and placed his lips against hers. He filled the kiss with everything in him, his love, yes he now knew it to be love, for her…and to his surprise she kissed him back matching his emotions stride for stride. _She's kissing back…_and all thought was lost to him.

They continued kissing breaking only for air and soon returning to their positions. They kissed away all emotions until only one was left…love.

Lips swollen and lungs gasping they finally stopped, who knows how long they had sat there relishing in each other.

He knew he had to tell her, and all fear had left him now, he was in love with her. "Kagome…" her eyes, oh those beautiful eyes, they turned up to look at him, a slight blush tinged her cheeks, but her eyes, they overflowed with love, but hidden in there, deep inside Inuyasha spotted it. Fear. _She's worried I'll reject her._ "Kagome, I love you." He said it clearly staring into those deep chocolate eyes, He saw the fear waver.

"Inuyasha…I…I…" she trailed off.

_Oh…oh no…Gods please no! She doesn't love me back, oh Gods she doesn't love me back… _He felt like he had been punched in the stomach…that was it, he was done, he couldn't handle it if Kagome rejected him. He settled back into his previous position and hung his head and stared at the ground in utter agony. _She doesn't love me back…_

**

* * *

Kagome**

That was her first kiss…and Gods what a kiss. While she was still trying to recover from it she heard Inuyasha say her name. She allowed her eyes to meet his and was floored by what she saw. Pure love. He radiated it, it streamed from his entire body. _Does he love me? _His amber orbs stared deeply into her eyes, "Kagome, I love you."

_He loves me!_ She didn't; know what to say. She had pinned after him for so long, but he was always after Kikyo…but come to think of it…he's deliberately avoided her soul catchers when we've seen then streaming across the sky and whenever she's come around to find him he's kept the conversations short and curt. "Inuyasha…I…I…" Her throat tightened up. _Once you say this there is no going back…are you ready for that?_

While she had her internal battle she noticed Inuyasha move away from her and hang his head, _Oh no…he thinks…but he has to know already…_

What happened next shocked Kagome more than anything so far. A tear fell from Inuyasha's face into the mud below him. She raced to his side and lifted his head. His eyes…were empty…nothing stirred in their depths. Tears of her own began to fall as she wiped away his tears. "How can you not know? How do you not see that I love you, that I've always loved you." Something moved in the deep. "I think I loved you before I even knew you. I never got along with the guys in my time in that way. I think deep inside I always knew that I'd find you, and that'd be it." Her tears clouded her vision but still she continued. "You are the reason I was born Inuyasha…" Her throat tightened again and no more words would make their way out. She closed hers eyes and prayed to whatever God was listening to help her make him understand.

A rough hand gently rubbed away her tears. She opened her eyes again and through the blur she could see Inuyasha's amber eyes again shining through the dark to guide her back. His arms encircled her form and pulled it close. They clung to each other as though one were to disappear should they let go. "I'm sorry I never saw it Kagome…I'm sorry. Please don't cry anymore, you know how I get when you cry."

She laughed through her tears, "But these aren't sad tears…there of happiness of love, not of sadness or pain." She clung to him tighter if the was possible. They sat that way for awhile just savoring the feel of being in each other's arms.

Suddenly Kagome gasped. Inuyasha tensed and pulled away to see what had make her gasp and ended up gasping himself.

The sun was rising over the fields with the most breathtaking colors that even Inuyasha knew this was special, not something that would likely happen again. They laid together and watched the sunrise.

Out of the blue Inuyasha laughed. A full hearty laugh that Kagome rarely heard from him. She looked up at his face and cocked an eyebrow in question.

"You're marked as mine. Now that wimpy wolf can't keep pawing all over you…or that 'hobo' kid."

"It's Hojo and I never liked him anyway." She smiled. "I like that. I'm yours, guess that makes you mine huh?" She said, reaching up to stroke one of his ears.

He smiled in contentment for awhile, _Ha! I knew he liked that even though he yelled at me whenever I touched them._

"Always Kagome." He finally answered. "I'm yours forever."

As Inuyasha was carrying Kagome bridal style back to Kaede's he suddenly stopped dead and his arms tightened around her form.

"Inuyasha…what is it?" Kagome asked concerned reaching up and stroking his face.

"You're not going to tell anybody I…um…that I cried…are you?"

Kagome laughed, "That's what you're worried about." She let her laugh settle a little bit, "I won't tell anybody if that's what you want. Honestly, I'd forgotten that you'd cried, thanks for reminding me though," She smirked mischievously, "Now I have ammunition for blackmail."

"Oh man," Inuyasha groaned good naturedly. Grinning wickedly he added, "But I know where you're ticklish." And to prove it he began to run his fingers along her side.

"No fair." She panted out, "I can't even try to run off."

He smirked and leaned closer, "As though I'd let you get away," and claimed another kiss. As he separated he whispered again, "I love you Kagome."

She smiled up at him, "I love you too Inuyasha."

They made their way back to Kaede's in a comfortable silence, at peace with each other and the world…well at least for the time being.

**THE END**

* * *

So what do you think about my first one-shot and my first Inuyasha story? Please review, I want some help with improving my writing skills.

Thanks for reading, have a nice day.

I've never had a tattoo, I've learned from people that it will hurt for days afterwards, but that doesn't really work well with my plot, so ignore that for the sake of this story.

PLEASE READ

_I'm thinking of doing another Inuyasha fic. I just got this idea while I was listening to Rascal Flatts' 'Skin' that Kagome gets sick, like really sick, with cancer or some other life threatening illness. I don't think I would manage to drag it out real long, but I wonder if this idea would work...hmm. E-mail me with any ideas or suggestions if you think of them._


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